


My Entertainment

by PastelNetwork



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Character Death, Codependency, Drug Use, Emotional Manipulation, Everyone Loves Hinata Shouyou, Everyone is of age, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Hinata Shouyou is Sunshine, Hinata and kageyama have ptsd, Kozume Kenma is a Little Shit, M/M, Mafia AU, Manipulation, Mentions of alcohol, Mind Manipulation, Multi, Polyamory, Sexual Tension, So does everyone else, Toxic Relationships, Unresolved Romantic Tension, bartender hinata shouyou, kagayama and Hinata are childhood friends, the captains are mafia leaders, they need therapy plsss
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 19:48:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29159175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PastelNetwork/pseuds/PastelNetwork
Summary: Hinata Shouyou, a 21 year old bartender with a strong distaste for the Mafia’s controlling Japan, finds himself working for a mysterious man under the name “Kodzuken” after stealing some of Nekoma’s precious cargo in a last attempt to not get kicked out of his Apartment.Kozume Kenma, the right hand man of Nekoma, hires a ginger to cause trouble for his people just for the purpose of satisfying his ever growing boredom.He might’ve made a few miscalculations, cause now he’s got 9 Mafia’s interested in this athletic orange-haired thief.Whoops.▐ A story where a Powerful man makes the mistake of paying an ambitious ginger who wants nothing more than to bring the Mafia’s to their knees▐
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Everyone, Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Hinata Shouyou/Kozume Kenma, Hinata Shouyou/Kuroo Tetsurou, Hinata Shouyou/Miya Atsumu, Hinata Shouyou/Oikawa Tooru, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added, Shimizu Kiyoko/Yachi Hitoka, Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi
Comments: 24
Kudos: 171





	1. Nine Year Olds

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first story published on AO3 so I hope you enjoy! If you wanna read any of my other stories, you can find me on Wattpad @ RetroNetwork
> 
> !Warnings for this Chapter!
> 
> Flashback, Graphic depictions of blood, and mentions of death.

**The world isn’t fair; something Shouyou Hinata learned at a young age.** ****

**Nine year olds aren’t supposed to worry about whether or not their parents paid their landlord the right amount of money, or about what they say under their breath. They should wonder about who they’re gonna sit next to at lunch, or about what type of equipment will be placed outside for recess, or even over how fast they are compared to the other students.**

**Maybe Hinata should have been taking note in his family’s behavior—the way they would go through their pockets with a grimace, a small trace of fear settling in their brown hues. The way his mother would stare at her mailbox a little too long while gripping a trademark letter with a crow stamped in the top corner— When the food on their table slowly began to decrease to the point where even Hinata’s baby sister, Natsu, began whining.  
  
**

_“You never buy us meat buns anymore!” Hinata exclaimed, his lips formed into a pout as he glared at his dinner that consisted of cheap bread and ramen. Before the ginger could reach for his fork, a hand ruffles his hair. Looking up, he meets the tired gaze of his mother as she smiles down at him, her orange hair falls over her forehead as she looms over the small boy._

_“Well, once papa comes back, we can talk about buying Meat buns again, ok sweetie?” The thought of being able to see papa makes Hinata’s face light up. He shakes his mom's hand out of his hair and grabs his fork, determination evident in his eyes as he digs into his ramen._

_Hinata missed the way his mom’s gaze lingered on his small figure, her smile falling from her lips back into her stoic expression.  
  
_

_**He didn’t see his dad until two months later.  
**  
_

* * *

_“Just go ask her already!” A boy with raven hair scowls as he pushes Hinata towards his mom, who was already sitting outside watching Natsu play in the grass. The ginger tries planting his feet in the dirt to stop the bigger kid from moving him, but inevitably causes them both to tumble towards the ground._

  
  


_“No way! You ask her Tobio!!” Shouyou protests while trying to kick the boy off his body._

  
  


_“Why should I ask her?! She’s your—OW—she’s your mom!” Tobio declares as he grinds his teeth and pushes Shouyou’s carrot-top head into the ground. Shouyou continues to try to squirm his way out from underneath his grouchy friend, but ends up with the ginger being pinned to the ground by a glaring Tobio._

  
  


_“If you ask her she’ll say yes!” Tobio gives Shouyou a questioning look—his grip on Shouyou’s soft hair loosening just a bit, but still firm enough to keep the boy in place. “My mom always says yes to you for some reason. There’s no way she’ll say no!!!” Shouyou explains, leaving Tobio to contemplate his next move._

  
  


_With a sigh, he lets go of the gingers head only to get tackled onto the grass. Tobio hits the ground with a thud and glares at his attacker who was staring down at him with a cheeky grin. Before Tobio could use this as a chance to knock Shouyou off to the side, the red-head grabs a handful of dirt and stuffs it down the ravens shirt._

_“SHOUYOU YOU BUTTWAD!!!”_

  
  


_“BAHAHAHAHA!!!”_

  
  


_Shouyou quickly gets up and runs away from the screaming blueberry, oblivious to the cold stare the ginger’s mom was giving them. No one can say for sure as to why Shouyou’s mom was glaring at the two kids, but maybe the letter she gripped in her hand was the answer._

**Maybe the crow stamp on the letter was a bad omen.**

**no one knew the answer until the next day.  
**

* * *

_“See? I told you she’d say yes!” Shouyou exclaims as the two boys walk side by side, making their way to Tobio’s house. The ginger catches the glare Tobio gives him, but doesn’t comment on it. The street lights that flicker past them brighten up the small section of Miyagi where the familiar buzz of people laughing and working fills the air. If someone were to ask Shouyou what word he would use to describe Miyagi it would most definitely be “home.”_

  
  


_“...I just don’t know why we couldn’t sleepover at your house, Shouyou,” Tobio complains while kicking a stray rock out of his way, causing the small piece of concrete to hit a nearby trash can. Shouyou scoffs and shoves his hands into his pockets as he looks up at the whiny nine year old._

  
  


_“Because your house is bigger than mine! And you guys have Mario kart,” The ginger answers while giving Tobio a smile. The raven haired boy only ruffles Shouyou’s hair as a response, earning a glare from the eccentric boy. Shouyou quickly shoves Tobio away, causing him to bump into two people wearing fancy suits and ties._

  
  


_Shouyou holds his breath as one of the older men, with blonde dyed hair, seizes Tobio by his shirt, keeping him in place. Tobio’s blue eyes met Hinata’s—his pupils decrease in size and stares Shouyou down, a silent plea for help not once falls from his lips. His terrified expression is enough for Shouyou to somewhat understand the type of situation they were in. Taking in a deep breath, the ginger begins to walk towards the two men, his legs shaking with each step he makes._

  
  


_The boy finally gets close enough to hear what they’re saying, but was still hard to make out over the sound of people talking on the street. From the looks of it, the guy with blonde hair was threatening Tobio while the guy with short black hair and glasses stands to the side, a frown present on his face._

_“I-I’m very sorry sir!” The tall blonde adult that smelled of cigarette smoke pauses his lecture and looks over at Shouyou—his body begins to shake even more under the gaze of narrow brown eyes and round hazel hues. The ginger ignores the horrified stare of his friend and continues to ramble._

  
  


_“It’s m-my fault my fri-friend knocked into you! If I didn’t push him, t-then his big head wouldn’t have b-bumped into you!” Shouyou announced. Tobio’s glare turned from terrified to irritated in the span of a second while the man holding onto the raven haired boy tried to hold back a smirk. The black haired man wasn’t any better—his hand immediately flew to his mouth to hide his smile. Tobio took note of this and gives Shouyou a terrifying smile._

  
  


_“You’re so lucky this guy is holding me back,” Tobio said as he tilts his head—trying to come off as intimidating as possible. “The second he lets me go I swEAR TO GOD I WILL RIP OUT EACH STRAND OF HAIR THAT SITS ON THAT DANG HEAD OF YOURS!!!” The man holding onto Tobio suddenly reels his head back and breaks out into a fit of laughter, the guy beside him joins in as he holds onto his stomach._

  
  


_“Ey, I like you kids!!!” The blonde guy lets go of Tobio’s shirt, causing Shouyou to let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. Suddenly, at the speed of light, Tobio jumps onto Shouyou, knocking him to the ground. Before Shouyou could utter a sound, Tobio grabs a fist full of the gingers hair and yanks his head off the concrete._

  
  


_As the boy gets ready for Tobio to fulfill his promise of turning Shouyou bald, he leans in next to his ear, surprising the red-head. “Start yelling at me. They’ll leave us alone if it looks like we’re about to start fighting,” Tobio whispers. Shouyou’s eyes widen for a split second before his mouth transforms into a snarl._

  
  


_“GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME CRAPPYAMA!!!” Shouyou screams, grabbing a fistful of Tobio’s shirt. Tobio has always been the strongest out of the two boys, something Shouyou will never come to terms with. That being said, Tobio lifts the boy off the ground with just a fistful of Shouyou’s hair. Laughter from the two sick men behind them grow louder—Tobio grinds his teeth in disgust._

  
  


_“NOT A CHANCE YOU IDIOT!” Tobio yells as he tugs Shouyou’s hair with an iron grip, causing the ginger to squirm and shout. Tobio’s blue hues slightly widen as a few small tears begin to appear in the corner of Shouyou’s eyes. With a final glance over the taller boys shoulder, Tobio uses his other hand to grab onto Shouyou’s shirt and roughly yanks him away from the two adults._

  
  


**Before Tobio dragged Shouyou into a nearby alley, the ginger was able to spot a familiar crow design on the fancy suits the men were wearing. Bearing a snarl and holding back his tears, both Tobio and Shouyou escape from the men without a scratch.**

****

**** **Maybe with a few missing hair strands, but escaped nonetheless.  
  
**

* * *

_“HAH! That makes the score five to three, I win!!!” Shouyou exclaims while throwing the wii controller behind him onto one of Tobio’s spare pillows. The raven haired boy frowns but accepts his defeat, a little too easily._

_The two boys are in Tobio’s room sitting in their makeshift pillow fort as the Mario kart title replays in the dark room. Shouyou plops himself down onto the many pillows inside the fort and looks over his shoulder at his best friend. Tobio was still staring at the T.V screen, like the illuminated graphics was placing a hoax on him._

  
  


_Ever since the two boys arrived at the Kageyama household, Tobio began to act differently. No, it wasn’t just him that was acting strange. His older sister was more irritated than usual and snapped at Tobio for doing the smallest things, making Shouyou more aware of his own actions. For once, Tobio’s dad wasn’t home and when Shouyou asked about his whereabouts he earned a sad smile from Miss Kageyama, saying “He had to take care of some business at the hospital.”_

_Tobio wasn’t any better. When they entered his room, the boy became much more reserved and only spoke unless spoken to which irked Shouyou to no end. It was like Shouyou was back in kindergarten trying to befriend him and the ginger did NOT want to go back to that._

_Twisting around in his haven of pillows, Shouyou glares at the back of Tobio’s head, hoping the raven haired boy could feel his haunting stare. If Tobio did, he chose to ignore it._

  
  


_“Geez, what’s your deal Tobio? You were just pulling the hair off my head like an hour ago and now you're acting all mopey…” Shouyou exclaims, pulling his knees to his chest and wraps his arms around his legs. Tobio finally turns around to look at Shouyou, giving him a blank stare. An insult is about to fall from Shouyou’s lips but the raven haired boy's sudden movement stops him. Tobio jumps onto the pile of pillows, causing small feathers to fly up into the air. The boy shoves his face into an orange pillow, like he was trying to avoid Shouyou’s haunting gaze._

  
  


_“Sorry…” Shouyou raises a brow. It wasn’t the fact Tobio said sorry that shocked him, it was the way he sounded so defeated that caused Shouyou to stare at him wide eyed. Something was definitely wrong._

  
  


_“Hey, did something happen? Do we have to fight someone? I can call Tadashi and Hitoka over and make a plan,” Tobio shakes his head no—face still stuffed into the tangerine colored pillow. Shouyou heaves out a sigh and falls back onto the pillows next to Tobio—his brown hues staring up at the blue blanket they used as a temporary roof._

  
  


_“Ok well...I’m here if you wanna talk,” Shouyou inwardly cringes at his words. It sounded so cheesy and the ginger was sure Tobio was gonna reprimand him for saying something so dumb, but the retort never came. The boy doesn’t dare take a peek at his mopey friend, and instead counts the zigzag patterns on the blue blanket hanging over them._

_“Grandpa passed away last night,” Tobio answers, his voice being muffled by the pillow he was using to hide his face. Shouyou immediately shot up, feeling his stomach drop as he processed Tobio’s confession._

  
  


_Shouyou has met Tobio’s grandpa before, many times. He wasn’t close enough to him to call the old man his own grandfather, but still felt bad on behalf of his best friend. The ginger knew how much Tobio looked up to him, plus if it wasn’t for his grandpa introducing volleyball to him then they never would’ve become friends in the first place._

  
  


_“I...I’m sorry Tobio…” the boy only hums in response, not once taking his face off the orange pillow. Is this why Tobio wanted to spend the night at his house instead? So he didn’t have to be around his family? Wouldn’t he want to be around his family if he was mourning?_

  
  


_Shouyou exhales the breath he was holding and looks away from Tobio. “You can cry it out if you want. You don’t have to hold it all in Tobio…” the ginger is left unanswered as he fights the urge to look over at his best friend. Shouyou’s not sure if seeing Tobio so vulnerable is a good or bad thing, but it was definitely rare._

  
  


_Thinking Tobio took his words to heart, he tries to sneak a peek at his best friend. Brown hues met blue ones, startling the poor ginger. Tobio was staring at Shouyou, giving him a nasty glare—his face finally visible to the eye. Shouyou half-expected Tobio’s eyes to be red from crying or maybe even spot a trace of snot running down his nose, but was instead greeted with Tobio’s signature scowl._

  
  


_“I already cried it all out idiot. I don’t need to cry a second time, especially in front of you,” Tobio sneers while staring at Shouyou’s perplexed expression._

  
  


_“What’s that supposed to mean?!”_

  
  


_“Whatever the heck you want it to mean.”_

  
  


_They both sit in silence for a minute before Tobio breaks eye contact, switching his attention back to the orange pillow._

  
  


_“He was diagnosed with cancer a few weeks ago. The doctors said he was pretty healthy and could probably live for another year I think. It just doesn’t make sense,” Shouyou listens to Tobio’s rambling, grabbing onto each word like his life depended on it._

  
  


_“So...did he die from cancer?”_

  
  


_“I dunno. The doctors are making it seem that way,” Shouyou frowns at Tobio’s statement, not quite satisfied with his friend's explanation._

  
  


_“Well that’s weird.”_

  
  


_“I know, right?”_

  
  


_Tobio seems to sound a little better, his voice going back to its original state—not smothered by a cheap tangerine colored pillow. “Gramps was also acting strange the last time I visited,” this grabs Shouyou’s attention. The ginger perks up at Tobio with curious brown eyes._

  
  


_“How?”_

  
  


_“Well...I went to his room to check on him and he kept staring off into space. Gramps kept mumbling things about ‘Seijoh’ and conflict with ‘Shiratorizawa,’” Shouyou raises his eyes at the familiar names that held more power than the two boys could ever hope to achieve together._

  
  


_Why was Tobio’s grandpa talking about the two powerful mafia’s of Miyagi? What was this talk about ‘conflict’?_

  
  


_“That’s not all,” Tobio continues, lifting himself off his pillow to look at Shouyou more comfortably. “He was holding a letter with a crown stamped on the back of it,” Shouyou glances down at his hands, trying to get his poor, miserable brain to put the pieces together._

  
  


_“That’s Seijoh’s logo, right?” Tobio nods in confirmation with his lips set in a straight line. Unlike Shouyou, Tobio lives in the section of Miyagi taken over by Seijoh while the ginger lives upwind, barely near the outskirts of Karasuno. People who lived in Seijoh territory usually received letters with a blue crown logo stamped on the front while Karasuno’s was a black crow._

  
  


_“Did he tell you what the letter was about?” Shouyou asks. Tobio shakes his head no, making the smaller boy puff out his cheeks in annoyance._

  
  


_“...Did he forget to pay his taxes or something?”_

  
  


_“I don’t think so. He never seemed to struggle with money and paying Seijoh,” finally—a verbal response. The two kids both stay quiet as they try to figure out this unsolvable puzzle. After a few moments, Tobio lays back down on the orange pillow, followed by Shouyou._

  
  


_“It’s probably nothing,” Tobio says after a few minutes of silence. Shouyou nods his head in agreement, bringing his hands up to rest on his chest. Despite his friend's statement, Shouyou couldn’t help but feel like they were missing something. Why would Tobio’s grandfather have a letter written by seijoh delivered to him in a hospital bed? Maybe seijoh was somehow involved…_

  
  


_“Yeah, maybe you’re right,” Shouyou answers with a pout, unable to get rid of that aching question in his mind._

  
  


_“So, when’s the funeral?” Shouyou asks, watching his friend look back at him with an unreadable expression._

_“You wanna go to it?”_

  
  


_“Course I do! You act like I’m heartless or something,” Tobio scowls at Shouyou’s statement, making the latter stick his tongue out at him._

  
  
  


_“...It’s on Friday…”_

  
  


_“Oh sweet! A school day!” This earns a glare from Tobio who, in return, flicks the gingers forehead._

  
  
  


_“It’s after school you idiot!”_

  
  


_“Oh…” They both let out a small laugh, easing the small amount of tension that rose from the atmosphere around them. Shouyou turns to look at his friend while Tobio does the same, both boys getting lost in each other's eyes like fools._

  
  


_“I think my mom will be cool about me going, if you’ll let me go...” Tobio looks at Shouyou as if he grew another head. “I wouldn’t be telling you this if I didn’t want you to go,” Tobio states with a deadpan look on his face. Shouyou smiles to himself. Knowing Tobio trusts the ginger just as much as Shouyou does warms his heart._

  
  


_“Wait, are you gonna tell Tadashi and Hitoka?” Shouyou asks. A look of hesitation grows on Tobio’s face, his brow furrowed as he breaks eye contact with Shouyou._

  
  


_“I...I’ll tell them I just...um…” Tobio averts his eyes away from Shouyou and stares up at the blue blanket covering their heads. “I don’t know if I can invite them to the funeral…It took me awhile to convince my mom to let me invite you so…” Shouyou interrupts Tobio’s rambling with a hum, making his friend remove his gaze away from the makeshift roof._

  
  


_“It’s ok! At least I’ll be there to comfort you,” Shouyou announces with a smug look crossing his face. Tobio grabs a nearby pillow and chucks it at Shoyo’s head, making the ginger erupt in a fit of laughter. They both lay down in the pillow fort—a weight finally lifted off Tobio’s shoulders and Shouyou being granted with important information._

  
  
  


**At the end of the day, they were just two boys living in their own world, enjoying whatever life has to offer them despite the hardships that pass through. They were too naive and young to pick up the subtle signs of chaos and danger, yet they still blame themselves. It wasn’t their fault the world was so unnecessarily cruel.**   
  


* * *

_After spending the night at the Kageyama household, Shoyo continued to pester Tobio about walking him home—to which the boy finally agreed after the ginger offered to bring him lunch on Monday._

  
  


_Upon arriving at Shoyo’s house, the ginger’s eyes quickly spot a familiar, red, run down car in the driveway. Some of the paint was scraped off the exterior of the vehicle and a window was missing from the passenger side. A smile stretches across Shoyo’s face as he runs up to the car with Tobio in tow._

  
  


_“Dad’s finally home!!! We can have meat buns again!!!” Shoyo exclaims while throwing his arms up in the air. The shorter boy whips his head around to face his companion, who’s staring at him with a blank expression. Behind Tobio’s bored facade, Shoyo spots a hint of excitement in his blue hues._

  
  


_“You should stay over for lunch, Tobio! Maybe we can convince them to buy us meat buns or something tasty!!!” Shoyo insists while slapping his friend on the back. Tobio is quick to shove Shoyo away, but smiles back regardless._

  
  


_“I'll stay only if your dad agrees to practice volleyball with us!”_

  
  


_“Guess that’s a yes!” Shoyo exclaims with a giddy smile while making his way to the front door._

  
  


_Shoyo’s house looked the same it always did—a few missing shingles on the roof and vines crawling up the side of the walls. Everything was fine, until they opened the door._

  
  


_The interior was completely trashed._

  
  


_Red. Red was everywhere—sprayed on the walls, smeared across the floors, and filled the air Shoyo breathed. The gingers body began to shake as he took in the view of the inside of his house with Tobio by his side. His friend wasn’t much better, his blue eyes widened in fear and quickly grabbed onto Shoyo’s wrist with trembling fingers._

  
  


_Shoyo’s brown eyes flicker over to the shattered vase that rests at their feet, the crooked family photo that hung limply on the wall, and to the bloody handprint next to the light switch. With a shaky breath, Shoyo takes a step down the hallway, Tobio’s hand still clasped around his wrist._

  
  


_The thumping of Shoyo’s heart rang through his ears as they ventured down the narrow hall, the stench of blood growing stronger. The boy doesn’t know why he was leading both him and his friend straight into danger into what appeared to be a bloodbath. His brain was telling him to turn back and run, call the police and wait outside. His gut, on the other hand, urged him to keep going down the path of dried blood and broken items._

  
  


_They were nine. They didn’t know any better._

  
  


_Shoyo and Tobio reach the end of the hallway that leads to the living room and the ginger has to force himself not to_ _run away. The sight before him was even worse than the hallway. Blood stained the couches and sofas—small holes covered the cushioned furniture. The small T.V. was knocked down on the floor and glass pieces surrounded the broken technology._

_Shoyo glances over at the coffee table only to feel his mouth run dry. Tobio follows Shoyo’s gaze and his grip on his friends wrist tightens. The scent of blood becomes stronger and the boys resist the urge to gag. Shoyo begins to walk towards the table, each step feeling heavier than the other. Tobio let’s himself get pulled along, still trying to process the scene in front of him. With the rapid beating of their hearts, they make their way around the couch and stop when the two boys get a perfect view of the coffee table._

_A body could be seen hunched over on top of the table, a pool of blood surrounding the victims head on the wooden surface. Their arms hang loose by their side as a small stream of red drips down their arm. Long orange strands of hair cover the person's face. Shoyo feels himself start to hyperventilate as he continues to peer down at the victim's body._

_“...M-Mom…?” Shouyou whimpered. He doesn’t dare tear his eyes away from her limp figure. The ginger's lips begin to tremble and the beating of his heart wouldn’t slow down. The poor boy falls to his knees, bringing Tobio down with him. For the first time since they’ve entered the house, Tobio let’s go of Shouyou’s wrist, allowing the ginger to move towards his mother more freely._

_  
  
_

_Shouyou pays the pool of blood no mind as he grabs his mother by the shoulders to help prop her up. He pulls her back and makes her lean on the front of the couch to help Shouyou get a better look at his mom._

  
  


_Her face was colored red from the pool of blood and had a nasty wound on her forehead. His mom's eyes were open, but were staring off into space. The light that once danced in those brown hues were gone, replaced by a dark glaze that made her eyes appear emotionless._

_“Shouyou...look…” Tobio whispers from beside him. Peering over to what his friend is gesturing at, Shouyo’s heart drops to his stomach and immediately lets go of his mother’s shoulders. In his mom's lap laid a small body covered in blood, it’s orange hair barely visible._

_  
  
_

_Shouyou doesn’t waste any time grabbing the small body and placing them in his own lap. The ginger’s hands began to shake and the huge knot that began to build up inside the boy's throat was close to suffocating him. Shouyou’s breathing gets louder as he continues to stare at the limp body in his arms._

_  
  
_

_“N-Natsu!!!” The tears finally break through. His lips tremble and shake as inhuman sounds resonate from his throat. The boy couldn’t breathe despite the amount of air he was inhaling. His mind couldn’t comprehend the weight of the situation before him. The only thing Shouyou could bring himself to do was hold his little sister in a shaky embrace and will his body to wake up from whatever nightmare he was having._

_  
  
_

_“W-We need to get help!” Tobio exclaims, his voice shaking and trembling as he grabs onto Shouyou’s shoulder. The shorter boy whips his head around to face Tobio who’s staring wide eyed at the two hopeless victims. The ginger gazes at his friend; his mind slowly processing Tobio’s words._

_  
  
_

_“Get the p-phone in the kitchen!!! It’s hanging on the wall!!!” Shouyou shouts at his friend, eyes blown wide in panic. Under any normal circumstances, Tobio would have scoffed and berated the boy for ordering him around. However, now wasn’t the time for petty arguments. So, with trembling legs, Tobio stands up from his spot on the floor and races towards the hall leading to the kitchen._

_  
  
_

_Shouyou’s grasp around his sister tightens, paying the blood no mind as he hugs Natsu closer. The ginger shoves his face into Natsu’s orange hair, hoping to hear her squeaky voice or his name being mispronounced. The only thing he’s met with is the sounds of his sobs escaping his lips and the sniffling of his nose._

_  
  
_

_A horrid scream fills the house; Shouyou flinches at the sound, a feeling of dread making its way to his stomach._

_  
  
_

_“Tobio!!!” Shouyou shoots up from the floor with Natsu still in his arms. The ginger begins running towards the kitchen, the thought of his friend being the next one injured adds another stab of pain to his chest._

_  
  
_

_He couldn’t lose Tobio._

_  
  
_

_Not now._

_  
  
_

_Not later._

_  
  
_

_Not tomorrow._

_  
  
_

_Not ever._

_Shouyou stops abruptly in his tracks, standing in front of the entrance leading to the kitchen. The ginger almost didn’t see his friend on the floor in front of him who seemed to be paralyzed in fear._

_  
  
_

_“Tobio, what’s-“ Shouyou cuts himself off as he takes in the view before him. His arms around Natsu tightens, and his ability to speak suddenly disappears._

_  
  
_

_On the floor, slumped against the fridge in a pool of blood, laid a man with familiar curly brown hair. His head was facing downwards; brown locks cover his red stained face. He was almost unrecognizable under the stab wounds and blood stains.  
_

_Those hands that would ruffle Shouyou and Natsu’s hair was laying palms up on the bloodied kitchen tiles. The mans signature brown shoes, that he would take off and place at the entrance of the house before hugging his wife and children hello, was coated in the same red substance._

_  
  
_

_That’s when Shouyou follows Tobio’s petrified gaze and spots it. Next to his fathers body on the floor, just within the mans reach, was an opened envelope. The gingers brown hues quickly scan over the paper until his eyes stop to stare at the small image stamped on the top corner._

_  
  
_

_A black crow._

_  
  
_

_Karasuno. The letter was from Karasuno._

_  
  
_

_Shouyou’s heart was beating out of his chest—the feeling of the world crumbling from underneath him is too much to bear._

_  
  
_

_Then, with Natsu in his arms, he breaks._

_  
  
_

_The screams of Miyagi’s sunshine boy could be heard from across the neighborhood—marking the day as the beginning of Shouyou and Tobio’s realistic view on the world._

  
  


**_The world wasn’t fair. Especially to 2 nine year old boys.  
_ **

* * *

_In the end, one of Shouyou’s neighbors heard the screams and cries of the young boy and called for help._

  
  


_By the time the police men and ambulances arrived, Hinata’s family was long past the point of return._

  
  


_They were dead._

  
  


_It took two hours for the police to successfully coax the 2 nine year old boys out of the house—both walking hand in hand as they stare off into space.  
  
_

_Tobio’s parents were immediately contacted and they picked the two boys up. Despite the crying and frantic questions spilling out of Mrs.Kageyama’s mouth, they couldn’t say or hear a thing. The ringing in their ears overshadowed the background noise as they zoned out in the back of the car. The beating of their hearts have yet to slow down, but the warmth of their hands being clasped together was enough to somewhat put them at ease._

_  
  
  
_

**_At least long enough till they reached the Kageyama household._ **

* * *

_  
  
_

_The moment Mrs. Kageyama closed the door, after tucking the two boys in, everything began to catch up with him._

_  
  
_

_“Tobio.”_

_  
  
_

_“...Hm…?”_

_  
  
_

_Shouyou feels his friend shift beside him in their shared bed, assuming the ocean eyed boy was staring at him. The ginger refused to meet his gaze. Instead, he chose to stare up at the ceiling where glow-in-the-dark stars light up the dark bedroom. Shouyou’s hands trembled when he pulled the blanket closer to his chin, hoping for some kind of warmth underneath the thin comforter._

_  
  
_

_“How did-“ Shouyou’s lips tremble and the familiar stabbing feeling in his throat returns, “How do-“ he shuts his eyes briefly to blink away the tears, “How am-“ his body begins to shake and his grip on the comforter tightens._

_  
  
_

_“W-What do I do n-now?”_

_The vision of his family slumped around the house covered in that disgusting red substance haunts his mind. Their glazed caramel hues staring at something yet nothing at the same time when he chose to take a peek. Those soft, warm hands he held for comfort and stability were ice-cold and limp._

_  
  
_

_Lifeless._

_  
  
_

_Gone._

_  
  
_

_Dead._

_  
  
_

_“You cry.”_

_  
  
_

_Shouyou turned his head towards Tobio—glassy copper clashed with sapphire hues. Tobio’s mouth was set in a fine line; expression serious and almost cold, but the look of understanding and tenderness was almost enough to cause the ginger to break out in tears._

_  
  
_

_“...What?” Tobio heaved out a sigh, grabbed Shouyous hand, and held it in his own._

_  
  
_

_“...You cry it all out. There’s...nothing we can do about it today, so cry, scream, yell and shout, anything to let it all out.”_

_  
  
_

_“That...that rhymed…”_

_  
  
_

_“Shut up idiot,” Shouyou forces out a weak laugh and lets his sorrow overcome his body._

_  
  
_

_His eyes became a leaking water fountain that would cause puddles to form in school hallways, and his muffled cries were similar to that of a kid who didn’t get the toy they wanted for Christmas. The invisible knife, that was stabbing away at his windpipe, began to fade away the more he let himself succumb to the heartbreak of losing his loved ones._

_  
  
_

_Karasuno. They did this. Why? That letter on the kitchen floor couldn’t have been a coincidence. There was no way._

_  
  
_

_“Lets…” Shouyous voice croaked out, catching the attention of Tobio. “Lets overthrow those...those bastards…” The grip on the ginger’s hand tightened._

_  
  
_

_“...You’re talking about Karasuno.”_

_  
  
_

_“I am.”_

_  
  
_

_“...let's do it then.”_

_  
  
  
_

**_The declaration the two kids made was long forgotten over the years. Miyagi, the home of four mafia’s, began to grow in both population and power. The childish dream Shouyou and Tobio held began to disperse and disappear. A daydream made by two desperate kids hoping for a way to escape a murderous society._ **

_  
  
_

**** **_or so they thought._ **


	2. Take a Shot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kenma’s directing someone on a mission.
> 
> Shouyou is given an offer by his best friend.
> 
> Chaos ensues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> !Warnings!
> 
> Mentions of death, and graphic depictions of blood.

The buzzing sound of people chatting and conversing with each other fills the busy bar. The drunk ruckus of a few burly guys laughing loudly, ladies gossiping on a “girls-night-out,” regulars hoping to find someone to bring home for a night, and on-goers enjoying whatever type of alcohol they can get their hands on. 

  
  


For Shouyou, however, it’s just a normal night of low tips. At this point, he was willing to suck up to a few men in business suits if he didn’t reach his goal of 40 dollars. It’s not like he’s never flirted his way to men’s wallets before, but the ginger always felt pathetic when throwing the men smiles and compliments just for the sake of filling his pockets.

With a defeated sigh, Shouyou’s grip on his shot glass tightens as he continues to rinse it under the sink that’s placed beside the wine holders. He manages to snag a look at himself in the reflection of the glass as he turns it underneath the water faucet. His orange-colored hair still maintained some of its fluffy-ness and volume from his high school years, but was trimmed shorter for his convenience. Small, barely visible freckles could be seen on the bridge of his nose. Big caramel hues shine off the glass’s reflection; he never quite lost the child-like roundness of his eyes, which made him appear much younger than he currently was.   
  


“You gonna keep staring at that shot glass or am I gonna have to reach across the counter to get myself a drink?” If anyone heard a snarky remark like _that_ , they would most likely flip the bird to whoever had the audacity to say such a thing in the first place. Thankfully, Shouyou knows the owner of that voice so he can’t help but smirk at the glass in his hand.

  
  


“Don’t you have anything better to do than patronize bartenders, _Tobio_ ?” Shouyou turns his head around and brown hues immediately clash with blue ones. Unlike Shouyou, Tobio had the nerve to keep growing even after Highschool, which didn’t grant the ginger any favors. His raven colored hair still holds that smooth look of someone who uses a little bit of gel. The only thing different about him, when it comes to his appearance, is his bangs which have been clumsily pushed to the side to better show his big forehead. If anyone asked Shouyou if he thought his best friend was attractive, he wouldn’t shy away from calling Tobio the worst names in the book (however, he might, on occasion, admit that his friend is...not _bad_ looking).

  
  


“Not really, today’s an off day for us,” _us?_ As if to answer his question, the ginger looks past Tobio to spot two of his other childhood friends.

Behind Tobio stood a small lady with long blonde hair. Her brown eyes were almost the same color as Shouyous, holding a more feminine and pure look. Next to her was a taller man with dark-greenish hair that was held back in a small ponytail. Freckles lace themselves over his face, complimenting his forest-green hues.

  
  


“Tadashi?? Hitoka???” The three friends laugh at Shouyou’s expense, making the boy’s face flush with embarrassment. 

  
  


The ginger is quick to shake off his embarrassment and knocks on the bar counter, grabbing their attention. “Well, what are you guys waiting for? Grab a seat and drink your troubles away!” They all let out an enthusiastic shout, including the tall “emotionless” Tobio. 

  
  


This was gonna be a _long_ night.

* * *

  
  


This was gonna be a long night indeed.

  
  


In a dark office, filled with illuminated security monitors and computers, sat a man with long black-blonde hair— that was pulled up into a bun— and had yellow cat-like eyes. His hues glare at the screens in front of him, taking in the disaster that’s being presented on the computers. On the monitors, men in black and red suits could be seen dragging dead bodies into an alleyway. Meanwhile, someone with an abnormal tall stature tries reasoning with two men in tacky dark green suits. Nothing was going as planned.

  
  


The man with long hair adjusts the headphones placed on his head and tweaks with the mic. The stranger with amber hues clears his throat and takes note of how the tall mafia member flinches. He heard him. Good.

  
  


“Put me on speaker for those Nohebi idiots,” the silver haired member quickly taps his ear piece, giving the stranger access to talk to the _imbeciles_ who _dared_ to mess up their mission. 

  
  


“Can you _snakes_ hear me?” The guys in green suits immediately stop talking, giving the mysterious yet familiar voice their full attention. He takes their silence as a yes, and continues to speak into his mic. 

  
  


“This is Kozume Kenma and I’m sure you’re well aware of who I am,” Kenma watches in amusement as Nohebi’s men gulp and stiffen. “Now that meaningless introductions are out of the way, lets talk,” the cat-like man can practically see sweat forming on their foreheads. How endearing.

  
  


“The task to exterminate the thugs selling knock off heroin was rightfully given to Nekoma during the meeting that was held between the four bosses of Tokyo,” Kenma explains, as he observes the men’s reactions. They were clearly trying to remain calm by the way they attempt to keep their expressions carefully nonchalant. Too bad the small beads of sweat gives them away. 

  
  


“So, if this operation was handed to Nekoma, why is _Nohebi_ getting involved?” The men in dark green stay silent, like they’re trying to come up with an answer. As for Kenma, he doesn’t have the patience to wait and sit around for them to reply. The Heroin operation was taking longer than it should thanks to some bothersome miscalculations.

  
  


“L-Look, Mr. Kozume, our boss gave us direct orders to watch the mission and step in if Nekoma required assistance. We don’t mean any trouble at all sir-“

  
“You _killed_ two of my men.”

  
  


“On accident—S-Sir!” Kenma’s eye twitches at the monitor. If he could reach through the screen and strangle them, he would have done so by now. Maybe he could get Lev to knock them out with his long limbs. It could work…

  


Kenma’s lack of response seems to have made the two Nohebi men nervous, judging by the way they keep shifting their weight from foot-to-foot. The tall Nekoma Associate, Lev Haiba, isn’t much better, as he keeps fiddling with the sleeves of his red uniform.

  
  


Kenma can’t bring himself to feel sorry for the tall Russian; it wasn’t _his_ idea to bring an amateur like Lev into the mission, even if he is a somewhat skilled fighter. The only thing going for the tall mafia member is probably his physical abilities and quick reaction time, but he was still new. Lev is a chess piece Kenma would use when the Russian proves himself valuable. Until then, the cat-eyed man is content with leaving him to collect dust at the back of the board.

  
  


Kenma heaves out a sigh into his mic, making it audible for the men to hear. Having Nohebi involve itself in the operation raises some questions. The only way he’ll get a straight answer is if he brings this up with Nohebi’s boss, something Kenma is already dreading. The thought alone of being in that _snake’s_ proximity disturbs him greatly, but what other choice does he have? If Nohebi is doubting Nekoma’s abilities to complete a simple mission, then Kenma and his boss needs to know why. 

  
  


However, before the cat-eyed man can stress himself out more over the meeting that would inevitably take place, he has other matters to attend to. Finishing up the operation. 

  
  


Kenma glances over at Lev through the screen who seems to be having a stare-down with one of Nohebi’s men. Those emerald green eyes resemble that of a predator; shining with an unnameable intensity. If a stranger were to take one look into Lev’s calculative hues, they would without a doubt be intimidated. After meeting and talking with Lev a few times, Kenma was able to spot something else underneath the powerful glare of the tall Russian. A hint of compassion and innocence hides behind those angelic hues. Kenma was almost surprised by this new discovery and mentally scolded himself for thinking Lev was this one dimensional being that could overpower someone with just his appearance alone. Sadly, that wasn’t the case.

He knew better than most people in his mafia that kindness leads to vulnerability and vulnerability leads to death. He’s seen it happen a million times because his comrades hesitated to pull the trigger. Kenma watched the life drain from his closest friends that decided to second guess themselves. He observed the way his companion’s breath would hitch after shooting and killing an enemy. It was people who allowed themselves to be swallowed up by compassion that grants them an early death. Compassion is a rope that ties itself around its victims neck and chokes them until their last dying breath. It’s because of this reason that Kenma perceives Lev as another member who’ll have their life ripped from their hands before their very own eyes. A real shame.

  
  


It’s not like Lev has to suffer the same fate as the pile of dead bodies. It wasn’t too late to save this _promising_ associate from his utter demise. 

  
  


Kenma glances down at Lev’s belt, eyeing a small weapon strapped to his waist. 

  
  


Maybe today is his lucky day.

  
  


“Hmm...I guess I’ll have to take this up with your gang’s boss,” the tension in the Nohebi men’s shoulders relax before straightening back up again.

“One of you go back to your boss and inform him that I want to have a little _chat_ with him. With that being said, only one of you is excused to leave,” the two men look over at each other with a look of uncertainty crossing their faces. After a few moments of staring, one of the guys with dark brown hair nods at his comrade and turns to make his way back to wearever Nohebi’s base resides. Lev goes back to glaring at the remaining member who gazes longingly at his retreating friend. Kenma can’t help the small smirk that makes its way to his lips.

  
  


“Now, as for you, you will be staying with us until we get this...ordeal...figured out. Oh, and Lev is in charge. That’s all,” Kenma concludes before clicking a button on his computer that takes himself off speaker. Now Lev was the only one who could hear him. His smirk grows in size and leans back in his chair, observing the gray haired Russian. 

  
  


“Lev,” Kenma grabs the attention of the associate. “Take the Nohebi member into the nearest alleyway and take him to Nekoma’s headquarters,” he orders. Lev gives him a stiff nod in return before walking up to the man in green. The man takes a step back, away from the nekoma member. He couldn’t possibly be thinking about escaping. To leave in a situation like this is suicide, surely he must know that. 

  
  


Kenma opens his mouth to give Lev a command, but quickly gets interrupted. “There're at least thirty Nekoma members surrounding the area. You’ll be killed before you reach the old warehouse if you choose to run. Don’t you value your life?” Lev sneers while walking closer to the frozen Nohebi member. The man is left speechless as he gazes up at the Russian, fear causing his body to go rigid. Kenma’s smirk grows.

  
  


“Take away his guns and any other weapons he could use to fight back with,” Kenma instructs. The cat-eyed man doesn’t want to risk having more of his men killed in case the guy in green decides to strike back. He could see a hint of resistance coming from the snake; attempting to not cower under Lev Haiba’s gaze.

  
  


“Kenma has ordered me to have you disarmed. Drop all the weapons you have on the ground,” Lev commands, his eyes zeroing in on the frightened Nohebi member. The man in green doesn’t make a move to grab the dangerous items on his belt. For a second, Kenma starts to worry if he’ll choose to either run away from Lev, or attack him. Despite not being at the operation, the long-haired man can feel the tension in the air through the monitors. A moment of suffocating silence passes before the Nohebi man reaches for his belt. 

  
  


Kenma watches the guy in green grab the weapons strapped to his waist and proceeds to drop them on the concrete floor. The clattering sounds of the many guns and knives hitting the ground fills the air. After Lev kicks the weapons far away from the snake’s grasp, the Russian nudges the guy in the shoulder—gestering him to follow the tall associate. 

  
  


Following Kenma’s previous instructions, Lev leads the Nohebi member into the nearest alleyway and continues to walk in silence. The cat-eyed man stares at the weapon strapped to Lev’s waist, deep in thought. Kenma’s brow furrows from the internal debate happening in his head. Screw it.

  
  


“Lev, I need you to guide him into the left alley that’s coming up. It should be a dead end,” Kenma orders. A look of confusion flashes over Lev’s face, but proceeds to do as he’s told. With another nudge to the Nohebi man’s shoulder, he leads the snake to their new destination.

Kenma finally comes to a decision. 

  
  


It doesn’t take long for the Nohebi member to notice that something was up. Whether it was Lev’s expression or change in direction that gave it away, Kenma couldn’t care less. Trying to escape in this situation was like reaching your arms out for death to sweep you off your feet. 

  
  


Finally, when the two men from opposing Mafia’s reach their location, Kenma leans forward and places his elbows on the desk. He speaks into the mic with his monotone like voice—a smirk plastered on his face.

  
  
  


_“Kill him.”_

  
  
  


**_“What?!”_ **

  
  
  


Lev’s shout catches the attention of his companion. He stops in his tracks and gives the Russian a confused look to which the associate ignores. Lev’s feet are stuck to the concrete—those green eyes that once held so much power were blown wide open; fear overtaking his hues. His face begins to turn pale as he continues to stare at the dead end in front of him. 

  
  


Kenma expected this kind of reaction and couldn’t help but feel the satisfaction of being correct. Ordering newbie’s to make their first kill always amused the long-haired man. As disgusted as Kenma gets when witnessing their innocence shine through, he couldn’t lie that it was very entertaining. It was like hitting two birds with one stone: he was conditioning his associates to kill while providing himself with entertainment.

  
  


“Do I really need to repeat myself? I said kill him. Finish the job,” Kenma answers. To the man’s annoyance, Lev doesn’t make a move to grab the gun strapped to his belt. He slowly turns to the Nohebi member with wide eyes. No words are said as they stare each other down—silence filling the empty alleyway. 

  
  


“...What the hell is going on?” The man in green asks; his snake-like eyes narrowing in suspicion. Lev inhales sharply through his nose and exhales through his mouth—not breaking eye contact. 

  
  


The Russian ignores his companion and averts his attention elsewhere; Kenma can’t tell. “..You said to take him to our hideout, Sir,” Lev says barely above a whisper. 

  
  


Kenma can’t stop his eye from twitching. Another thing about new recruits, they feel the need to question _every_ order given to them by a superior. It irritates Kenma to no end. If Lev was gonna be one of those brats who decide to doubt the decisions Kenma makes, then he might as well grab a shotgun off the wall and put a few bullets in that small head of his. 

  
  


“And I changed my mind. Now shoot him before he runs away,” Lev’s mouth opens to make a reply, but nothing comes out. The tall associate glances over at his companion who continues to glare at him with untrusting eyes. 

  
  


He doesn’t move to grab his gun. 

  
  


Maybe Lev just needs some encouragement.

  
  


“...I heard Alisa got the modeling job she’s always wanted,” Kenma mentions, observing the way Lev’s expression fell and his mouth snapped shut. “It was very nice of Yaku to recommend her to some high class agencies; a place where she belongs.”

  
  


Kenma had heard how Yaku decided to help his apprentice’s older sister; working his tail off trying to find a company who would be interested in the beautiful Haiba. At the time, he dubbed the information useless and went back to doing his assignments. Who knew it would all work out in the end.

  
  


“Don’t you agree Lev? Doesn’t she deserve to be admired? By her fans? Especially after everything she did to take care of you when your parents couldn’t?” Kenma asks, letting his voice carry out to the other side of the screen where Lev is staring the man in green down like he was willing him to shatter.   
  


“Do you want all that effort to go to waste? Because of some dumbass mistake? Sorry, _your_ dumbass mistake?” Lev’s breathing escalates into a fast rhythm, almost to the point of hyperventilation. 

  
  


“All it takes is one phone call to put an end to her early career,” Kenma forces himself to chuckle, a thought coming to him. “I can already see the headline! _‘Alisa Haiba, young upcoming model, found killed in a car wreck.’_ I can make it more flashy if you want, car accidents _are_ a boring way to die after all.”

  
  


Lev’s entire body is _shaking_. 

  
  


The Nohebi member stares at the tall associate; fear causing the snake-like man to back away, like he’s debating on staying or escaping. 

  
  


**“Stay right where you are.”**

  
  


Lev’s cold voice echoes through the alley, stopping the snake’s advancements. 

  
  


Just one more push to knock the Russian off the ledge. 

  
  


“I just hope she makes it home for dinner tonight. Word around town says her cooking is to _die_ for.”

  
  
  
  


It all happens in a matter of seconds. 

  
  
  
  


Lev reaches for his gun.

  
  


The Nohebi member tries to make a run for it.

  
  


Two gunshots fly through the tension filled air.

  
  


Blood splatters across the brick walls of the empty alleyways.

  
  


The man in green drops to the floor (not at all graceful) with a thud.

  
  


Lev’s gun is pointing at where his target once stood; green eyes blown wide and mouth gaping open in shock. 

  
  


The Nekoma associate lowers his gun slowly, his eyes never leaving the dead body in front of him. He takes a shaky step toward the corpse, observing how a pool of blood begins to form around his victim. 

  
  


“Nice shot,” Kenma compliments, his yellow eyes crinkle as he smiles at the monitor. “Congratulations on your first kill Lev,” a surge of accomplishment washes over the long-haired man. 

  
  


Now Lev could go on more missions that involve taking out enemies. Sure, his height might be a bit of an issue, but that doesn’t mean Kai can’t make the associate run drills and obstacle courses to help overcome that small weakness. His discipline also needs some work. And learning how to control his volume when talking to people through the small intercom. And not disobeying orders. And knowing when to keep his mouth shut. Ok, Lev has _a lot_ to work on, but that doesn’t mean he’s a lost cause either. Sure, it’ll take some time, but before Nekoma knows it, Lev will have proven himself to be a useful part of the Mafia. A new contribute. A force to be wreckin with. It won’t be long before Lev could be deemed dangerous-

  
  


The sound of a gun clattering to the floor disrupts Kenma’s thoughts. 

  
  


Lev stands directly in front of the dead Nohebi member, being careful to not step in the pool of blood. With the way the security cameras were set up, Kenma is unable to see the Russians expression as he stares down at the corpse. 

  
  


What’s Lev doing?

  
  


The tall man’s shoulders were shaking as he continues to gaze down at the body. 

  
  


“ _Sir_ …” his voice sounds so broken, so lost.

  
  


“ _I—I just…”_ Lev brings his arm up to hide his face; from what, Kenma isn’t sure. 

  
  


“ _I just killed someone Sir.”_

  
  


Kenma’s face pales, an icy chill runs up his spine. He feels the blood drain from his face as he observes Lev.

  
  


Lev is crying. He was hiding his face in his arm because he was _crying_. 

  
  


He’s still innocent. Still _compassionate_. It makes Kenma want to hurl. 

  
  


Kenma underestimated the amount of work that needed to be done to make Lev a useful part of Nekoma. 

  
  


The long-haired man leans back in his chair and heaves out a defeated sigh.

  
  
  


This is gonna be a _very_ long night.

* * *

It didn’t take many shots to get Hitoka red faced and flushed—her words beginning to slur together. Tadashi watches the girl from the corner of his eye before throwing his head back in laughter; he’s usually good at keeping his alcohol in check, but tonight it seemed like he was willing to indulge himself to more shots than he normally does. 

  
  


On the other side of Hitoka, sat Tobio who still held his third shot glass in his hand while observing his companions. For some reason, the black-haired man had a strong dislike for alcohol, saying it was created to make people _‘Idiotic and senseless.’_ Even though Tobio had a point, Shouyou still insisted on drinking the _poisonous_ beverages. 

  
  


And here Tobio is, as sober as can be.

  
  


Shouyou tried making it his personal mission to get Tobio drunk but his efforts were proved useless. Each time the ginger would slide a strong shot to Tobio, he would refuse it and slide it back. 

It’s like he has a sixth sense that tells him what he should and shouldn’t drink.

“-then my boss had the nerve to give my assignment to someone else knowing how bad I wanted to do it!!!” Hitoka rants while slamming a hand down on the bar counter. “The person he assigned it to is like the biggest bitch! AND HE’S KNOWN FOR TURNING IN HIS WORK LATE!!! HOW DOES THAT EVEN MAKE SENSE?!” The blonde shouts, which earns her some questionable looks from nearby tables and bartenders. 

  
  


“You could always just find another graphic design company to work at. I heard from a friend how a studio recently opened up by our old High School. You should check it out,” Tobio informs while setting his glass down. The three friends turn to him, a surprised look on everyone’s face.

  
  


“Wait, we’re not your only friends?” Tadashi asks, causing Tobio to give him a glare; Hitoka and Shouyou snicker at the freckled man’s _innocent_ question. 

  
  


“...You’re _soooo_ lucky you’re drunk right now…if not, I would have had your ass pummeled to the ground by now…” Tobio threatens through gritted teeth. In Tadashi’s drunk state, he didn’t seem to take the threat seriously.

  
  


“Sorry Tobio, but I’m a taken man,” Tadashi teases with a smirk. 

Before Tobio has the chance to jump Tadashi, Shouyou reaches over the counter to take the shot glass from his black-haired friend. Tobio gives the ginger a bewildered look which Shouyou responds to with a smirk.

  
  


“Can’t have you shattering any of our glasses. My boss would have my head on a platter if she finds out one of my friends was responsible for breaking the bar’s supplies!” Shouyou explains, a mischievous glint shining from his brown hues. The moment the ginger turns his body away from his companions, he could hear the sound of a chair squeaking, the pitiful cries of Tadashi Yamaguchi, and the hysterical laughter erupting from Hitoka Yachi. 

  
  


With a smile gracing the sunshine’s lips, Shouyou reaches the water faucet where many shot glasses can be seen sitting inside the sink. It doesn’t take a genius to know who’s glasses those were, seeing as this is Shouyou’s seventh trip to the sink. 

  
  


While Shouyou is glad that he could make his friends loosen up and have fun with the power of alcoholic beverages, he wishes he could do the same for himself. It would be so easy to just grab a beer from the rack and start chugging—ignoring the people and sounds that surround him. Doing that, however, would lead to Shouyou losing his job. Getting himself fired is the _last_ thing he wants to do, so he sets the item down, grabs another shot glass, and makes his way back to his friends. 

  
  


About a month ago, Shouyou’s manager began to lower the bartenders paychecks due to the establishment not earning enough customers. Because of this, the ginger had started to struggle paying for basic necessities like food and water—hell, even taxes were getting difficult to pay. 

  
  


With that being said, Shouyou made the mistake of buying more food than necessary and now he doubts he has enough to pay for this month's rent. He considered calling the landlord and explaining the situation to him, but the old man seems to have some sort of personal vendetta against the orange-haired adult. 

  
  


The landlord to Shouyou is essentially what Hitoka’s annoying coworker is to her: the biggest bitch.

By the time Shouyou makes it back to the three idiots, they seem to have gotten their bearings together—conversing using hands with playful glee prominent in their expressions. Watching them talk and joke around with each other brings a smile to Shouyou’s face.

  
  


There was a time in their lives where smiling didn’t come easy as they were forced to carry heavy burdens. It wasn’t until middle school did the four realize that they couldn’t keep moping around and letting the past weigh their every movement. They began talking to each other more—venting and ranting about every little thing until they felt refreshed and satisfied.

  
  


It wasn’t just Tobio and Shouyou against the world. The ginger just wished he realized it sooner. 

  
  


All eyes turn to the bartender when he approaches them, their faces turning serious and contorting in what Shouyou has to guess as worry. The worker raises a brow at his friends, silently asking them what their deal is. 

  
  


“You’ve been real quiet tonight Shouyou. Is there something you want to talk to us about?” Hitoka asks while struggling not to slur her words together. The ginger doesn’t bother trying to hide his surprised expression. It’s really impressive how someone as drunk as Hitoka was able to read him like a book, but a part of him isn’t as shocked. Being able to notice Shouyou’s mood swings and behavior is what Hitoka does best. 

  
  


No wonder she passed psychology with flying colors…

  
  


Now that the words fell out of the blondes lips, both Tobio and Tadashi begin to stare at him with a more intense look; one hazy and unfocused while the other bore into his soul. It’s like Shouyou is trapped in an interrogation room surrounded by detectives—well, at least the comparison is somewhat accurate. The only real detective, standing in the room of two obvious drunk adults, is the one with striking blue eyes that could see straight through someone and their fruitless lies. 

  
  


Shouyou lets himself lean his elbows on the bar counter; an exhausted sigh escaping from his mouth. “Oh—nothing too serious—I guess,” the ginger starts as he stares down at his clasped hands. “We’re not getting many visitors, so the manager had to lower our pay. I’m just worried I won’t be able to pay rent this month.” 

  
  


No one says anything at first to Shouyou’s confession, making the ginger squirm under their gazes. When the bartender looks up from the counter, he catches his friends staring at him with an incredulous expression. 

  
  


“Why didn’t you tell us this sooner, Sho?” Tadashi asks while shaking his head, clearly disappointed in the orange-haired worker. Hitoka and Tobio have the same reaction, causing the ginger to roll his eyes.

  
  


“Because I didn’t think it would be that big of a deal-“

  
  


“Getting close to being kicked out of your apartment _is_ a big deal Shouyou,” Tobio snaps back, glaring at the smaller adult.   
  


“Maybe...this is a good thing?” Everyone turns to look at Hitoka, staring at her like she’s the biggest dumbass on earth. Did Shouyou do something to set her off that he doesn’t know about? 

  
  


“...I think you’ve had way to many drinks Hitoka…” Tadashi makes a move to grab the glass of beer from the blonde, but she quickly snatches it up—chugging what’s left of the heavy alcohol. Hitoka places the glass back on the counter before wiping her mouth with her sleeve (Shouyou must’ve forgotten to bring them napkins).

  
  


She starts back up again, twirling a strand of her long hair. “I mean...think about it. You always call to complain about that old beer bellied man,” Hitoka explains. “It also doesn’t help that those apartments are pricey despite all of them being made to house _one_ person.”

  
  


“Ok, and? It’s hard to find a one bedroom apartment complex that’s actually liveable,” Shouyou counters. “The last apartment I lived in had a family of _rats._ Rats, Hitoka! I was practically moving IN with the cast from ratitoulle!!!” The ginger doesn’t know why he’s allowing himself to engage in an argument during work hours, especially to someone as drunk as Hitoka, but it’s happening and he might as well see it through.

  
  


“The place I’m living in at the moment is _perfect._ It’s rid of rats, the neighbors are nice, they have good plumbing, electricity, _OH—_ and _WiFi!_ ” Shouyou exclaims, causing some passerby’s to look over and stare at the random outburst. Feeling the stares of his workers on him makes the ginger settle down; pushing his elbows up and leaning back while still having his hands clasped on top of the counter. Shouyou doesn’t plan to get in trouble with his coworkers and getting fired, because he lost his self control, isn’t an option either. 

  
  


“There’s a reason those apartments are so _pricey_ , Hitoka. I’m lucky I even have the right to live there! Getting kicked out and having to hunt for another apartment is the last thing I want to do…” Shouyou confesses a lot quieter while making sure his voice is still loud enough for the blonde to hear. Tobio and Tadashi stay silent, looking at Shouyou with _pity_. 

  
  


Just how pitiful is Shouyou? He can’t even get his shit together as an adult. All of his friends have stable jobs, stable pay, and a stable life. Going to colleges, traveling the world, and living their life to the fullest. And what’s Shouyou doing? Wasting his life standing behind a bar counter, serving drinks to drunk customers that don’t so much as bat an eye at him.

  
  


Wait, is Shouyou _the one_ that’s pitying himself? He really needs to get a grip. 

  
  


The ginger shakes his head and focuses back on Hitoka—a small frown settling on her lips. Shouyou’s brown hues widen at Hitoka’s reaction to his sudden outburst. What the hell was Shouyou doing? Arguing with someone—no, not just someone—one of his best friends while obviously drunk?

  
  


An apology is about to fall from Shouyou’s mouth when he’s interrupted by a soothing voice.

  
  


“But are you _happy_ living there? Do you honestly see yourself living in that apartment for the rest of your life?” Hitoka asks, her caramel-colored hues softening. “Are you ok with living under someone who constantly has a bone to pick with you?” Shouyou’s eyes dart to his hands, refusing to meet her gaze. “Your fine settling with whatever you can get your hands on?” The ginger begins fidgeting with his fingers.

  
  


He doesn’t like this. Why was Hitoka asking these questions? To stir him up? Make him feel guilty? Pick him apart piece by piece? 

  
  


“Just get to the point Hitoka...I have a job to do,” Shouyou sighs while keeping his gaze stuck to the counter. The bartender catches Hitoka’s shadow moving toward him. Willing himself not to flinch, he looks up to see the blonde right in front of his face, close to the point of violating his personal bubble.

  
  


Hitoka boops him on the nose.

  
  


“My _point_ is that I think it’s time for something to change,” _change?_ Like...get a newplace to stay? Did his friend not hear a word he said about how hard it is to find a decent one-room apartment? 

  
  


Hitoka really is drunk.

  
  


Shouyou pushes her face away, making the blonde giggle from under his hand. “Thanks for the suggestion, but I don’t want to have to room with a family of possums next,” the ginger jokes, finally getting a handle on his emotions.

  
  


“I’m moving out of my apartment next week,” everyone turns to look at the owner of the voice who managed to squeeze himself into the conversation. Tobio’s blue eyes are blank and his face is carefully stoic, not giving anything away. Shouyou stares at his best friend as he attempts to get a read on him. It’s gotten a lot harder to read Tobio over the years, but the ginger always found a way to see through his expressionless features. Shouyou opens his mouth to say something, anything, but nothing comes out.

  
  


Tobio’s not joking around.

  
  


“I got a promotion recently and the Police department wants me to move into one of the apartments sectioned between Miyagi and Tokyo,” Tobio explains while giving Shouyou a knowing look. The mischievous eyes of someone who’s up to something—they were as clear as day to the ginger. 

  
  


Despite the raven haired man dropping obvious hints, that Shouyou will ignore, he gives his best friend a smile. “Congrats on the promotion Tobio! I just hope you don’t miss us too much with your ass halfway across to Tokyo-“

  
  


“Can you shut your mouth for like two minutes? I’m trying to explain something.”

  
  


“... _Cranky bitch_ …” Shouyou mutters under his breath.

  
  


“I heard that!!!”

  
  


“GOOD—OW!!” Shouyou exclaims, rubbing the spot on his forehead that was smacked by none other than Tadashi himself. 

  
  


“Let Tobio talk, Sho,” The bartender glares at the freckled man. 

  
  


“Talk about favoritism-“

  
  


“Anyways, like I was saying,” Tobio interrupts with a scowl on his face, upsetting the ginger even more, “The only good apartment complexes in that area are the ones with two bedrooms. I don’t want to move into an apartment and have to pay for a bedroom I’m not even sleeping in,” His ocean hues shift back to Shouyou, causing the ginger to flinch. 

  
  


“You could come live with me for the time being until you find an apartment that’s just right for you—that’s not owned by some creepy, old, homophobic  _ man, _ ” Tobio adds with a frown present on his lips. 

  
  
Move in? With Tobio? The thought of living with Tobio isn’t  _ too _ unpleasant. They’ve slept at each other’s houses plenty of times when they were younger. In fact, if Shouyou had to choose someone out of his best friends to move in with, he  _ might _ , not by  _ much _ , choose Tobio. 

  
  


However, there’s another problem arising in the midst.

  
  


“Thanks for the offer, but didn’t you say the apartment’s were located in the area  _ between _ Miyagi and Tokyo? That’s pretty far away from where I work at, Tobio,” Shouyou exclaims, his copper hues staring his best friend down. The ginger initially thought the conversation would end there, with Tobio reluctantly admitting defeat, but the raven-haired adult stares right back—dark blues filling with conviction. 

  
  


He isn’t gonna back down, to the bartenders dismay. 

  
  


“I can just drive you to work. Your shift doesn’t start till 6:30 PM, right? That’s when I’m on my break. It won’t take long to get you from the apartments to the bar,” Tobio counters, his eyes narrowing at the stubborn carrot-top behind the counter. 

  
  


The ginger’s mouth is dry; he can’t think of a reason to decline the offer. Better living conditions, no grumpy landlords, living with someone he’s known since childhood, not taking the forsaken bus to work and worry about all the people bumping into him—it’s a good deal. 

  
  


Yet Shouyou can’t find it in him to say yes. 

  
  


“I’ll...I’ll think about it,” The bartender answers, taking a step back from the group of friends. Tobio’s face seems to fall for a split second before straightening back up to his stoic expression. “Well, give me your answer soon. I’ll be looking for apartments this Thursday, ok?” Shouyou nods and quickly turns on his heel.

  
  


Walking away from the people he cares deeply about, he tries to focus back on his work.

  
  
  
  


**But...he still has a decision to make.**


End file.
